What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lancaster	Sterling
People
Population	8,606Highest	3,629Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S.	39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sterling and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sterling and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.	$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.	$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,338±$539 65% above U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.	$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 20% above U.S.	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.
Work from home	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#145 of 282 in MA	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Nashoba	Sterling School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.